Lead wire crimper for automatic stem machines



April 22, 1958 R. L. DUMOND LEAD WIRE CRIMPER FOR AUTOMATIC STEM MACHINES I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1953 INVENTORS Ear A. Dl/Mfl/VD A nl 22, 1958 R. L. DUMOND 2,831,508

LEAD WIRE CRIMPER FOR AUTOMATIC STEM MACHINES Filed June 24. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1% i 152 l 'i 156 1:40 7] I 1% T1 1 1 I .144 110 5 EXHAUST PORT I w GLAZING 5- WE IS A B 2 kiunngkv STEM '5 21 E52 QLQ m 23 FQNAL POSII'IONDNG B MECHHNSM EMERGENCY EXHAUST PORT BLOWOUT w W FLARE FEED V IN VEN TOR.

MECHANISM 0 4. DqMo/vp LEAD W\RE FEEDING a MecHAmsn FLARE AND EXHAUsT ruse P0"=W|0N\NG Mecunmsn STEM COOLING A ril 22, 1958 R. DUMOND 2,831,508

LEAD WIRE CRIMPER FOR AUTOMATIC STEM MACHINES Filed June 24, 1953 3 She'ets-Sheet 3 INVEN-TOR5 ATTORN EY United States Patent C LEAD WHKE CRIIWPER FOR AUTOMATIC STEM MACHINES Roy L. Dumond, Little Rock, Ark., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 24, 1953, Serial No. 363,894

6 Claims. (Cl. 140-715) The present invention relates to automatic stem machines and, more particularly, to a lead wire crimper for such a machine. t

In the manufacture of incandescent lamps it is essential that a stem produced on an automatic stem machine be transferred to a sealex machine with the external portions of the lead wires aligned along the exhaust tubulation. This is necessary so that the lead wires may be inserted easily by the mounter or sealer into the mount pin, thus materially reducing the number of lead wires which might be exposed outside the mount pin to the i sealing fires during the sealing, for example, of the stem to a vitreous envelope.

In the past no provision has been made on stem machines for automatically crimping the lead wires of a finished stem at the unloading position of the machine. A conventional lamp stem machine may suitably comprise a plurality of heads, for example 24, carried by a retatable turret which is indexable through a like number of stations. At station 2, for example, a flare feeding mechanism automatically may feed a flare into the flare holding jaws of a stem head. A lead wire feeding device commonly inserts the lead wires into the weld pockets of the stem head at stations 4 and 5. tion 6, an exhaust tube feeding mechanism usually feeds a tube into the axial tube pocket of the head. A flare and exhaust tube positioning mechanism at station 7 may push the flare below a predetermined height with respect to the flare holder jaws. A final positioning mechanism at station 8 pushes up on the exhaust tubulation to provide the final positioning of the exhaust tube with respect to the flare.

It will be understood that stationary and opposing burners or stem heat fires may be provided, for example, from station 7 through station 19. At station 10 a preclamping mechanism usually shapes the press section of the flare to its approximate final shape. At stations 13 and 14, glazing fires generally round off and glaze the upper end of the exhaust tubulation. The final stem clamping or press forming operation may be performed at station 16. An exhaust port blowing mechanism at stations 17 and 18 blows an exhaust hole through thejunction of the lower portions of the press and the upper portion of the exhaust tube afllxed thereto. At station 19, the stem is automatically marked and means are generally provided for an emergency exhaust port blow out, if such is needed. At stations 21 and 22, the now formed stem is cooled with heated air and finally automatically unloaded at station 24 by a stern unloading mechanism.

Hence, it has been found advantageous according to my invention to provide a lead wire crimper for an automatic stem unloading mechanism of an automatic stem machine. The lead wire crimper of my invention is mounted on the stern unloader in such a position to receive the lead wires while the lead wires are still held in the stem head leadwire separators. As the stem head opens for unloading, the stem unloader and the let wire At stashown.

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2. crimper are open to receive the stem.- As the flare locking plunger of the unloader secures the stem therein, the lead wire crimper closes thus, shaping or humping the portion of the leads near the flare away from the exhaust tube and the portion of the leads thereabove inwardly against the exhaust tube.

It will be understood that such crimping permits the lead wire strippers of the exhaust portion of the sealex machine to be set so as to pull the leads out parallel to each other during the stripping or wiping operation, thus facilitating lamp tipoif and preventing tangled leads at the basing operation. The stem is carried in the crimper during its elevated travel and is released by a dog just before the stem unloader reaches its maximum height of travel to prevent the distortion of the now crimped leads during ejection from the unloader into a suitable delivery chute or conveyor leading to a sealex machine.

The crimper of my invention is mounted on the flare holder mounting plate of the stem unloader and is driven by a link suitably connected to the flare locking pin or plunger by means of an adapting collar. In addition to the driving link the lead wire crimper of my invention comprises essentially a crimper mounting plate anda pair of U-shaped crimping jaws mounted on parallel shafts extending through the mounting plate. These jaws are separated and limited in their operation by a pair of exhaust tube guides and are rotatable by a pair of inter meshing gears. A lever connects the driver gear on one shaft to the driving link of the crimper.

In its general aspect the present invention has as its objective the elimination of the hand alignment of the lead wires prior to an automatic sealex operation and of burned lead wires during sealing due to such misalignment. Another object is a combination of an automatic stem unloading mechanism and a lead wire crimper for a stem making machine. I I Other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains as the description and recitation thereof proceeds.

Referring to the drawing in which like num'erals'of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views: v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lead wire crimper of my invention and a stem unloading mechanism for an automatic stem making machine in the loading position. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a stem after the the external portions of its leads are crimped by the device of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of my crimper in position with respect to a stem at the start ofuthe crimping operation. I I i Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the position of the parts at the completion of the crimping operation.

Fig. 5 is a plan diagrammatic view of an automatic stem machine embodying my invention. T

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the stem unloading mechanism, showing in particular the cam track.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the unloader shaft r' e ciprocating means and the flare and tubulation holder operating means.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 5, a multi-head automatic stem making machine is there This machine has a turret (Fig. 5) which car-.- ries a plurality of heads (24 in thepresent showing) and is indexable by conventional means (not shown). from station to station. The turret rotates on a frame not shown in Fig. 5.

At station 24, the finished stem unloading station, a stem unloading mechanism or stem unloader 18 (Fig. l) is mounted on the frame by means of a bracket 2h, This unloader 18 supports and actuates a lead wire crimper 22 of my invention, as hereinafter explained.

Stem unloading mechanism The unloader 18 (Fig. 1) has a vertical shaft 24 which reciprocates in a sleeve 26 upstanding from the stem unloading mechanism mounting bracket 20. The lower end of the shaft 24 (Figs. 1, 3 and 6) is connected to a conventional stem unloader reciprocating mechanism, such as a bell crank lever 28 (Fig. 7) whose other end ongages a box cam 30 on the main camshaft 32 of the stem making machine. This shaft 24 carries a stem unloader mechanism body or casting 34 (Fig. l) which is free to rotate on the shaft 24. The body 34 is secured in rotatable engagement with the shaft 24 by means of a top collar 36 and a similar lower collar 39 (Fig. 6).

This body 34 (Fig. 1) has a vertical hub portion 38. Near the collar 36 an upper arm 40 projects inwardly from the hub 38 to the right (when viewed in Fig. 1).

A lower arm or crimper mounting plate 42 (Figs. 1, 3

and 6) projects horizontally from the hub 38 and is aligned with the upper arm 40. A transverse outer portion or angle 44 of the lower plate 42 extends upwardly and horizontally outwardly therefrom to the right when viewed in Fig. l). The upper horizontal portion of the angle 44 has a bifurcated end portion 46. Adjacent the lower plate 42 a cam track hub 48 (Fig. 6) projects from the hub 38 of the body 34 suitably in the same plane as the lower projection 42 and approximately 135 counterclockwise therefrom.

Drive mechanism The shaft sleeve 26 (Fig. l) carries an upper adjustable collar 50. An operating shaft 52 of a drive mechanism is rotatable in a side projection or hub 54 projectingfrom the upper collar 50, and in a suitable sleeve-like projection 56 provided in the stem unloading mechanism mounting bracket 20. This shaft 52 carries an operating lever 58 on its upper end and a lower driven lever 60 (Fig. l). A driving link 62 (Fig. l) and a connecting rod 64 (Fig. 7) connect the outer end of the lever 60 to a bell crank spider lever 66 on a shaft 68 of the stern making machine. A lever 70 conects the other end of the bell crank lever 66 to a second bell crank lever 71 which engages a cam 72 on the main cam shaft 32 of the stem making machine.

Stem zmloader rotating mechanism An upstanding vertical arcuate cam track plate 74 (Figs. 1 and 6) for limitedly rotating the body 34 has its lower portion secured to the periphery of the upper collar 50 and its upper end secured to the periphery of a guide or slide (not shown) on the reciprocating shaft 24 T ubulnlion holder A stationary'tubulation holder mount rod 86 (Fig. I)

may extend from the upper arm 40 of the hub 38 of the I body 34 to a lug 88 (Fig. l) projecting from the side of the body 34 or suitably to the lower plate 42. A bifurcated exhaust tribulation spoon or holder 99- is adjustably mounted at any desired height on the rod 36 by means of a bracket 92. Near the outer end of the upper arm 40 a vertical rotatable tubulation holder locking pin shaft 94 of a tribulation holder locking pin operating mechanism, extends substantially parallel to the rod 86.

from the upper arm 40 through the lower plate 42 of the body 34. Between the upper arm 40 and the lower plate 42 the shaft 94 carries a bracket 96. This bracket 96 has a horizontal tubulation locking pin or rod 98 on its up per end for cooperation with the tubulation holder 90, as hereinafter explained. The locking pin 98 normally projects across the open end of the tubulation holder 90.

The lower end of the shaft 94 (Fig. l) of the tubulation locking pin operating mechanism carries a lever Hi0 having a vertically depending operating pin 101 for engagement with the operating lever 58 on the upper end of the shaft 52 of the drive mechanism, as hereinafter explained. The pin 101 also carries a connecting rod 102 of a flare locking pin plunger operating mechanism. The rod 102 joins the lever 100 to a bifurcated arm 104 of a bell crank lever 106, suitably pivoted between the bifurcated end 46 of the angle 44 of the lower plate 42. An upper normally horizontal arm 108 of the bell crank lever 106 reciprocates in the bifurcated end 46 of the plate 42 of the body 34 and cooperates with a fixed dog, as hereinafter explained.

Flare locking pin A spring loaded flare locking pin or plunger 110 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6) reciprocates within a rotatable sleeve or barrel 112 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) located in the forward hub portion of the lower plate 42 (when viewed in Fig. l). The plunger 110 is pinned, by means of collars (Fig. 3) between the bifurcated ends of the lower arm 104 of the bell crank lever 106. Between the lower plate 42 and the bifurcated arm 104 of the bell crank lever 106, the rotatable barrel 112 carries an operating arm or lever 114 (Figs. 1 and 3) for rotating the barrel 112, as hereinafter explained.

The left hand end of the barrel 112 (when viewed in Fig. l) carries a flare holder mounting bracket 116 provided with a flare holder or spoon 118 and a horizontal spring pin 120. This pin 120 carries a spring 122 extending from a pin (not shown) projecting from the hub 38 adjacent the cam track hub 48.

It will be understood that the plunger 110 is spring loaded within the barrel 112 and that its end portions of reduced diameter project beyond the sleeve 112 and the bracket 116 on one end and the bifurcated arm 104 of lever 106 on the other end. Its left hand end portion (when viewed in Fig. I) normally extends across the open end of the flare holder 118 and acts as a flare locking pin.

The cam track plate 74 (Figs. 1 and 6) carries a horizontal stop arm 124 above the upper portion of the cam track 76, (Fig. 6). The outer portion of this arm 124 is provided with a pair of adjustable dogs, namely, a flare and tubulation holder retracting dog 126 for engagement with the upper arm 108 (Fig. 1) of the bell crank lever 106, and a flare spoon tilting dog 128 for engagement with the lever 114 on the sleeve or barrel 112.

An incandescent lamp stem 130, shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, when it arrives at station 24, the stem unloading station of the stern making machine, may comprise a flare 132, an exhaust tubulation 134, an arbor 136 and a pair of leading-in conductors 138.

Operation of stem unloader As a head 14 indexes into station 24, the finished stein unloading station of the machine 10, the flare holding jaws and the tubulation holding jaws, (not shown) of the head are opened by means (not shown). The holder opening cam 72 (Fig. 7) on the main cam shaft 32 of the stern machine through the above described flare locking pin operating mechanism moves the flare and tubulation holder operating lever 58 thereof and hence the lever and the shaft 94 in a counterclockwise direction (when viewed in Fig. 1). Rotation of the lever 100 retracts the flare locking plunger within the .barrel or sleeve 112, thus permitting the delivery of a flare 132 of a stem 130 from a head of the stem'machine, into the flare holder 118 of the stem unloader 18. Simultaneously, rotation of the shaft 94 has moved the tubulation locking rod 98 away from the open end of the exhaust tubulation holder 90, to permit delivery of a tubulation 134 into the holder 90.

The cam 72 then retracts the operating lever 58 in a clockwise direction, thus permitting the spring loaded plunger 110 and the shaft 94 to return to their normal rest positions. The outer end of the flare locking plunger 110 is projected across the open end of the flare spoon 113. The tubulation locking rod 98 is rotated clockwise (Fig. 1) against the open end of the tubulation re ceiving spoon 90. In this manner the tubulation 134 and the flare 132 of the stem 130 are secured or locked in the spoons 90 and 118 respectively.

At a predetermined time in the operating cycle the box cam 30 on the cam shaft 32 (Fig. 7) through the bell crank lever 28 moves the unloader shaft 24 (and hence the body 34 secured thereon) upwardly in the sleeve 26 on the stem unloading mounting bracket 20. As the body 34 moves upwardly, the roller 84 on the end of the cam track hub portion 48, moves upwardly in the cam track 76. When the roller 84 engages the arcuate middle portion 82 of the track 76, the body 34 is rotated counterclockwise (Figs. 1 and 6) approximately 30 by the track 76. The body 34 then continues upwardly in the vertical upper portion 86 of the track 76 until the flare receiving spoon 118 is adjacent a discharge track or a chute (not shown).

Before the body 34 reaches its maximum point of vertical travel the lever 114 on the rotatable barrel 112 engages the spoon tilting dog 128, thus causing the barrel 112 and hence the flare spoon 118 to tilt downwardly approximately 90. It will be understood that simul taneously the tubulation and flare retracting dog 126 strikes the upper arm 108 of the bell crank lever, causing the arm 108 to move downwardly. Downward motion of the arm 108 causes the plunger 110 to retract into the barrel 112, and (through the above described linkage) the shaft 94 and hence the tubulation locking rod 98 to rotate approximately 90 to permit the discharge of a finished stem 130 from both the flare spoon 118 and the tubulation spoon 90.

Lead wire crimper The lead wire crimper 22 of my invention shown particularly in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 has a generally L-shaped mounting plate 142 which is secured by screws to the flare spoon mounting bracket 116. A generally horizontal portion 144 of the plate 142 has a pair of forwardly extending tubulation guides 146 secured, as by means of a bolt, to an upstanding lug thereon. A pair of parallel horizontal shafts 148 (Figs. 3 and 4) of a crimper operating mechanism extend through and are rotatable in the horizontal portion 144. The inner end of each of the shafts 148 adjacent the flare spoon 118, is provided with collars or discs for mounting thereon, as by brazing, a U-shaped crimper 152. The opposite ends of the shafts 148 (adjacent the body 34 of the unloader 18 are provided (from right to left respectively when viewed in Fig. l) with a driver gear 156 and a driven gear 158. An upwardly extending lever 160 (Figs. 1 and 3) fixed to the shaft 148 and the driver gear 156 connect said driver gear and said shaft 148 to an arcuate driving link 162. This link 162 extends substantially parallel to the plunger 110 and is suitably curved near its midportion to prevent interference with the operating lever 58 in its engagement with the operating pin 101 on the lever 100. As shown in Fig. 3 the outer end of the link 162 is suitably threaded and provided wtih nuts 164 for adjustable securement thereon of a connecting rod- 168. This rod 168 has a cylindrical hub or collar portion 170 transverse to its outer end for aflixment, as by a bolt, to the outer end of the stem locking pin plunger 110.

6 Operation of lead wife crimper When the tubulation and flare holder operating lever 58 is actuated by the cam 72, as hereinbefore explained, the flare locking plunger is retracted within the barrel 112 and to the right (when viewed in Fig. 1). This motion of the plunger 110 moves the crimper link 162 also to the right and rotates the lever 160 on the (right hand when viewed in Fig. l) shaft 148 and the driver gear 156 in a clockwise direction approximately 45 Obviously the driven gear 158 rotates a like number of degrees in a counterclockwise direction. Hence, the upper portions of the crimpers 152 move outwardly from the tubulation guides 146 and the lower portions of the crimpers 152 move toward the. guides 146 (the position shown in Fig. 3). As a flare 132 of a stem is delivered into the flare holder or spoon 118, the tubulation 134 is inserted between the tubulation guides 146 and the lead wires 138 are inserted in the U-shaped crimpers 152 (Fig. 3).

When the operating lever 58, through the above described connecting linkage releases the operating pin 101, the spring biased plunger 110 retracts to the left when viewed in Fig. 1 to its normal rest position across the spoon 118. The crimpers 152 are moved by the plunger 110 from the position shown in Fig. 3, to the crimping position shown in Fig. 4. The motion of the driving link 162 to the left (in the same direction as the now retracting plunger 110) causes the driver gear 156 on the shaft 148 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction approximate,

ly 45. The upper portions of the crimpers 152 move inwardly toward the tubulation guides 146 with the leads 138 therebetween. The lower portions of the crimpers 152 move outwardly away from the guides 146.

It will be understood that the portion of leading-in conductors 138 adjacent flare 132 rest on the outer portions of the bottom portions of the crimper 152 and are humped outwardly slightly from the exhaust tubulation 134. The upper portion (Fig. 4) of the leads 138 are held against the guides 146 by the upper portions of the crimpers 152, thus aligning the upper portions of the leads 138 along the tubulation 134.

It will be understood that near the maximum point of travel of the stem unloader body 34, the tubulation and flare holder dog 126 contacts the upper arm 108 of the bell crank lever 106. The plunger 110 is again retracted and the crimped leads 138 are released by the crimpers 152 of my invention to permit delivery of a crimped stem 130 to an automatic mounting machine.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a stem making machine, a stem unloading mechanism and a lead wire crimping mechanism: said stem unloading mechanism having a stem receiving means, a stem retaining means adjacentsaid receiving means, means for retracting said retaining means away from said receiving means to permit the loading of a stem in and the unloading thereof from said receiving means and moving said retaining means transverse to said receiving means to secure said received stem therein; said lead wire crimping mechanism having means connecting said crimping mechanism to said retaining means to cause said crimping mechanism to open during retraction of said retaining means to receive lead wires of said stem therein and permit the discharge of said wires therefrom, and to close said crimping mechanism during movement of said retaining means transverse to said receiving means to crimp said lead wires.

2. In combination with a stem making machine, a stem ceiving means, means for retracting said retaining means.

away from said receiving means to permit the loading of a stem in Said receiving means and moving said retaining means transverse to said receiving means to secure said received stem therein, auxiliary means on said retaining means for retracting said retaining means, means for reciprocating said unloading mechanism, stationary means engageable by said auxiliary means during reciprocation of said unloading mechanism to retract said retaining means; said lead wire crimping mechanism having means connecting said crimping mechanism to said retaining means to cause said crimping mechanism to open during retraction of said retaining means to receive lead wires of said stem therein, to close said crimping mesh: [ism during movement of said retaining means transverse to said receiving means to crimp said lead Wires, and to open again during retraction of said retaining means by said auxiliary means to discharge said crimped stem.

3. In combination with a stem making machine, a stem unloading mechanism and a lead Wire crimping rnecnanism: said stem unloading mechanism having a stern re ceiving spoon, a stem retaining plunger adjacent said spoon, means for retracting said plunger away from said spoon to permit the loading of a stem in and the unl0ading thereof from said spoon and moving said plunger transverse to said spoon to secure said received stem therein: said lead wire crimping mechanism having means connecting said crimping mechanism to said plunger to cause said crimping mechanism to open during retraction of said plunger to receive lead wires of said stem therein and permit the discharge of said wires therefrom, and to close said crimping mechanism during movement of said retaining means transverse to said receiving means to crimp said lead Wires.

4. In combination with a stern making machine, a stem unloading mechanism and a lead wire crimping mechanism: said stem unloading mechanism having a stem receiving spoon, a stem retaining plunger adjacent said spoon, means for retracting said plunger away from said spoon to permit the loading of a stem in said spoon and moving said plunger transverse to said spoon to secure said received stem therein, auxiliary means on said plunger for retracting said plunger, means for reciprocating said unloading mechanism, stationary means engageable by said auxiliary means during reciprocation of said unloading mechanism to retract said plunger; said lead wire crimping mechanism having means connecting said crimping mechanism to said plunger to cause said crimping mechanism to open during retraction of said plunger to receive lead wires of said stern therein, to close said crimping mechanism during movement of said plunger transverse to said spoon to crimp said lead Wires, and to open again during retraction of said plunger by said auxiliary means to discharge said crimped stem.

5. In combination with a stern making machine, a stern unloading mechanism and a lead wire crimping mechanism: said stem unloading mechanism having a stem receiving spoon, a stem retaining plunger adjacent said spoon, means for retracting said plunger away from said spoon to permit the loading of a stem in and the unloading thereof from said spoon and moving said plunger transverse to said spoon to secure said received stem therein; said lead Wire crimping mechanism having a plurality of crimpers and means connecting said crimpto said plunger to cause said crimpers to open during retraction of said plunger to receive lead wires of said stem therein and permit the discharge of said Wires therefrom, and to close said crimpers during movement of said plunger transverse to said spoon to crimp said lead wires.

6. In combination with a stem making machine, a stern unloading mechanism and a lead wire crimping mechanism: said stern unloading mechanism having a stem receiving spoon, a stem retaining plunger adjacent said spoon, means for retracting said plunger away from said spoon to permit the loading of a stem in said spoon and moving said plunger transverse to said spoon to secure said received stern therein, auxiliary means on said plunger for retracting said plunger, means for reciprocating said unloading mechanism, stationary means engageable by said auxiliary means during reciprocation of said unloading mechanism to retract said plunger; said lead wire crimping mechanism having a plurality of crimpers and means connecting said crimpers to said plunger to cause said crimpers to open during retraction of said plunger to receive lead wires of said stem therein, to close said crimpers during movement of said plunger transverse to said spoon to crimp said lead Wires, and to open again during retraction of said plunger by said auxiliary means to discharge said crimped stern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

